‘I’ll rip up China pact’
Solomons opposition figure wants ties with Australia
A leading contender to become the Solomon Islands’ next prime minister has vowed to rip up a security pact with China, as the Pacific nation began counting votes on Thursday in a pivotal general election.
“If we are in government, we will abolish the security treaty,” Peter Kenilorea said at his village base on the island of Malaita, adding: “We don’t think that it’s beneficial to the Solomon Islands.”
Relations with China are a central issue in the Solomon Islands’ fiercely contested and keenly watched election, which took place on WednesPrime
day. The vote is being seen in part as a referendum on the growing Chinese influence.
With vote counting already under way, Mr Kenilorea’s comments highlight the stakes for Solomon Islands and the South Pacific region.
Minister Manasseh Sogavare has championed deeper China ties as a way of developing what is one of the poorest nations in the world.
The centrepiece of his embrace was a contentious 2022 security pact that has seen Chinese police deployed to the island and which critics say paves the way for a possible Chinese military base.
In contrast, Mr Sogavare’s rivals, including Mr Kenilorea, advocate rekindling ties with “traditional partners” like Australia, the US and Taiwan.
“We don’t have natural enemies,” Mr Kenilorea said, lamenting the fact that the
Solomons has become a focal point for competition between the world’s two largest military and economic powers – China and the US.
“It has put us on the map for the wrong reasons. To raise tensions unnecessarily here, in the geopolitical scheme of things, is something we don’t really need,” he said.
Those tensions were on clear display on Thursday as ballots were trucked into a heavily guarded counting centre in the capital Honiara, watched over by international teams of uniformed Fijian soldiers and Australian police.
Unproven claims of foreign interference have upped the ante, with state-backed Chinese news outlets peddling claims the US might orchestrate riots to block Mr Sogavare from holding on to power.
US ambassador Ann Marie Yastischock said the rumours were “blatantly misleading”.
Chief electoral officer Jasper Anisi said “everything is peaceful” so far.
Hand counting the paper votes is only the start of an arduous electoral process. Once the parliament’s 50 members are finally elected, they will begin bartering with each other to cobble together a ruling coalition.